Most of us are as familiar with Google products as we are with our own friends: Google My Business, Google Reviews, Google Maps…
But Google Pointy? Pointy Google? Pointy from Google?! If you haven’t heard of this particular product, don’t worry. This short guide will bring you up to speed in no time at all.
Pointy Google? What’s that?
First up, you should know that Pointy didn’t start life at Google. It was founded in Ireland and acquired by Google in January 2020.
Now known as ‘Pointy from Google’, it’s a software and hardware solution which helps local retailers sell more products and services… instantly!
Pointy connects with the retailer’s point-of-sale system, either via a physical Pointy box or an app download. This means that it’s especially useful for smaller businesses, as no data entry or e-commerce experience is required.
Around 70% of Pointy’s current customers are small, independent stores
‘This Gadget Puts a Shopkeeper’s Most Obscure Products on Google‘, Forbes
How does Pointy from Google Work?
Pointy from Google sits between the retailer’s barcode scanner and their point-of-sale system. Each time they scan a barcode, that product will automatically be uploaded to their Pointy Page (also known as a Pointy Store):
Source: Pointy with Google
You can think of a Pointy Page as like having your own virtual store: just as you’d fill your real world shelves, Google digitally stocks your virtual ones. The Pointy Page shows product information alongside other key details—such as store opening hours—with options for shoppers to contact the retailer or reserve items of interest.
Once scanned, each product is also added to your Google My Business page, meaning that it can then be shown in millions of searches for relevant keywords and terms.
This video provides a helpful overview of the whole process.
As of January 2022, Google has started promoting Pointy within the GBP dashboard, and inviting businesses to check if they’re eligible.
Source: Colan Neilson
Advanced Features
Pointy also offers the option to integrate with Google’s See What’s In Store feature. This lives within Google My Business, and (once initiated by the store owner), provides an inventory of in-stock products at a given brick-and-mortar location.
The product feed is then used in a number of Google search properties, including Shopping, Images, Maps and Search, which increases search visibility:
Source: Pointy from Google
For those wanting to drive even more traffic, Pointy ProductAds (yes, there’s no space!) takes product information and automatically turns that data into Google PPC ads, with retailers only required to set a daily budget and geographical target area.
To find out more, visit Google’s local inventory ads page or watch their video here.
Finally there’s the retailer dashboard, which provides measurable data that makes it easy to determine if your investment is paying off. It’s populated with quick-to-understand reports covering key stats such as most searched products, and how people found your store:
Source: Pointy from Google
Is Pointy right for your business?
There’s much to recommend Pointy from Google if you’re a local business with a brick-and-mortar location:
- Automatic product uploads means no administrative burden
- It’s quick and easy to set up, and lives within your Google My Business listing for convenience
- You can sell products via Google without needing the infrastructure or budget to invest in your own e-commerce site
- Pointy Stores help local shoppers find out what’s available more easily
- It’s a quick and easy way to reach high intent shoppers from further away
You’ll need to have an existing point-of-sale system, and decide between installing a physical Pointy box or downloading the app, which will determine the final cost.
Note: Pointy is currently available in a select number of territories: the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia.
Pointy can check whether your business is eligible. You will need to provide your store name, email address and contact information in order to do so.
How to get started with Pointy from Google
If you’re ready to apply, log into Google Business Profile Manager and navigate to the ‘Products’ tab on the left. You should see a promo card for Pointy:
If not, then simply head to the Pointy website to sign up.
A Pointy representative will call you to discuss the platform, tell you how it works and go through your Google My Business profile.
And while you’re waiting for the call, ensure that your Google My Business profile is as good as it can be with BrightLocal’s Google Business Profile Audit tool!
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